Redamacy
by EmeraldJay2210
Summary: Maya isn't the ordinary teenager for she has not had an ordinary life. A past that's unexplained, a present full of emotions, and a future unpredictable. She's on the search for answers but what happens when Steve Rogers becomes her main focus. Only time will tell, and it did for the both of them.
1. Chapter 1

It's 7:45 pm. Only fifteen minutes left. He's apparently supposed to arrive at 8:00 pm. If he doesn't, then all of this was for nothing. Maya's search for this man would all be for nothing.

Tomas Roccer was the man she had momentarily become obsessed with.

In her research, she had discovered many different reports and whispers claiming him to be highly dangerous. He was the leader of one of the most menacing gangs in New York. A gang titled "Crimson". Known for their supernatural abilities, marking them a threat to society. Their leader? His power was taking the supernatural abilities of others temporarily.

Even with all of the minacious information she had found, fear didn't find her. Which, in that moment, was the most important thing to her. She wanted to be strong, to be fearless.

After all, the plan was to interrogate. Can't quite do that with a shaky voice.

She needed answers and she's determined to find them. So far he's the only person that can lead her to the answers she seeks. In some way, this _monster_ was connected to her past somehow. No matter how hard it would be to find what she was looking for, she promised herself to keep her persistence firm.

It was finally eight o'clock. The time for Roccer to come to this location. The motives of these people were unknown to Maya, but one could assume they weren't there to discuss world peace. They were responsible for causing harm to people. They've left them moaning, bleeding and ultimately, dead. To her misfortune, Maya has seen it personally, only hoping that she does not suffer the same fate.

She was crouched on top of a building next to the location they were to meet at. Even while kneeling she was still able to observe the view. Catching sight of anyone who walked into the building.

A black Rolls Royce parked in front of the entrance of the building. A well dressed man came out of the driver's seat and ran to the back, opening the passenger car door. Leather shoes with steel toes stepped out of the car. The suit he wore was a velvet color. His hair a lighter red, his skin toned as a caramel tan. There were enough scars on his face one could see from a mile away. _It was him. Tomas Roccer._

He gave his driver a nod as he straightened his jacket. The driver returned to the vehicle and drove off. Leaving his boss to saunter into the building alone.

Maya scanned the lot, affirming that it was empty. She climbed down the ladder up against the wall. Her foot put pressure on the rusty metal as she climbed down to each bar. She shrieked as one of the bars broke, completely throwing off her balance. She was rapidly on her way to hit the ground.

_Think quick! Think quick!_

She looked down at the concrete ground as her mind wildly darted to any idea that could rescue her. Her eyes shut tightly as an entrancement flowed through her veins. Soft green grass spontaneously and rapidly grew from the black concrete below. Her body fell upon said grass. It was enough to save her from any serious injury, but she did land on her shoulder, which began to throb. She bit her lip to keep any sound within. She had laid there for a few seconds, rolling her shoulder. It took her a few seconds to let her determination sink back in. Sitting up, she brushed dirt and small rocks off her arms only to reveal minor cuts and red marks.

Quickly, Maya pushed herself up and stood against the brick wall seeming dark in the night. The rest of her surroundings were getting darker by the minute. The moon was the only source of light. But then she noticed a yellowish light coming from what appeared to be a screen door. Instinctively, she walked towards it and looked through to see inside. Digging her nails into the screen, she leaned forward to look closer. It was the back entrance to a kitchen. No one was inside and the door was left unlocked. She turned the cold metal handle and pushed the door open. Carefully, she took steps inside. The silence was almost deafening.

It was too quiet.

Suddenly, Maya felt someone grab her from behind. Their arm was clutching around her neck halting the gasp that almost escaped her throat. The attacker's other arm was around her waist pulling her back. She tried pulling their arms off but the person was obviously stronger than her. Her small height wasn't helping either. Somehow she was able to kick one of their legs with the heel of her boot. She heard her attacker groan and wince. Instantly they fell to the ground. Maya reached into her pocket and took out a knife she held there for specifically for situations like this. Her small framed body turned around to face the attacker.

It was Tomas Roccer.

She pointed the knife at him as he tried getting up but froze when he noticed the sharp weapon inches away from his face. A smirk slowly formed on his features. Then a dark chuckle was heard.

"What's so funny?" She asked, locking her eyes on him.

"You." He responded. "I know you've been following me stupid girl, the question is why?" Something in his tone led Maya to believe he already knew the reason why.

"Where is she?" His smile went away, he knew exactly who she referred to. A temptation grew in Maya. To use her mind reading powers that she had possessed since she was a child. But she was afraid he'd sense her abilities and use them against her. That was something she couldn't risk.

"Where is who?" He raised his eyebrows, mockingly acting oblivious. He was testing her, and she didn't have the patience for it.

She crouched down and held the knife only a centimeter away from his throat. There wasn't an intention to kill but it was a hell of a warning. "Don't toy with me! And don't even think about lying. I know you were the last person who saw her, she told you where she was going, now tell me!" The words gritted through her teeth.

"I can't. I made a promise."

"Since when do men like you keep promises."

His smile grew back. "This was a trap sweetheart. A way to bring you to me, so that I could get rid of you."

He then squinted his eyes examining her face carefully.

_Does he recognize me somehow? _She thought. _No he's never seen you_, _but he did know you were following him_.

His gaze suddenly altered, changing to wistful curiosity. He forcefully grabbed her chin holding it in place between his thumb and his finger. His struggle to not move any closer to the knife was noticeable, nevertheless he held a good grip, and an uncomfortably tight one at that. "Why is it that when I look at you, I see _her_."

Maya didn't respond. She made an effort not to wince at the pain surrounding her chin and jaw.

He continued. "Your eyes, bright green like hers. Yet, you still have some of your father's features. And his foolishness. How unfortunate the fate he suffered."

She pushed his arm off irately. "Tell me where she is NOW!" Her voice had past the point of yelling. He opened his mouth, but before he could utter another word, a dart had pierced through his shoulder. _What the hell? _Maya turned around, aware of the knife her hand.

A man stood before her with a gun pointing towards Roccer. He lowered his weapon.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"I'm Nick Fury."


	2. Chapter 2

"Can I ask what you're doing here, _Nick Fury_?" The man standing before Maya was tall, dark-skinned man, with scars creeping out from under an eye patch.

"I would like to ask you the same question, Ms. Farrow."

Her body stilled. "How do you know who I am?" Her palm pressed firmly around the end handle of the knife. He didn't seem like a threat but either way, she held her guard up.

"Tomas Roccer isn't the only one being traced." Confusion caused her face to scrunch. Why has this man been looking for her? The man began to saunter around as he spoke. "We tried going to the Lockdale Shelter but they said you left without notice about seven months ago. You seemed to have made quite an impression on them before you left."

A heat of anger resonated from within from the mention of a certain traumatic memory. The door flew open with a burst of wind.

Fury looked behind her towards the door, not appearing surprised. Actually, he seemed _amused_. "Sensitive topic, I see." He raised his hands up in defense. "Relax there Ms. Farrow, I mean no harm. I'm the Director of a very important organization called S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Shield?"

"We're a law-enforcement agency that deals with superhuman threats. We put special focus in beings like you. Seeing if they're either an ally or if they're a threat. But by request of one of our own, we are treating you like an ally."

"One of your own?"

"A couple of years ago, we recruited your brother, Drake."

Every muscle in Maya's body tensed up. Everything in her told her it was a lie. Too good to be true, but looking at Fury, she knew, he was telling the truth.

"I'll explain everything when we get to SHIELD, but I'd suggest we leave now. That sleeping doze I gave to Roccer only lasts for ten minutes, and don't worry he won't remember what transpired in the last ten minutes." She looked back at the man lying unconscious on the floor.

The bastard could wait.

She agreed to go with Nick Fury, following him out the door.

As they stepped outside, Fury took out a pair of car keys and pressed a button. As soon as he clicked on it, an alarm went off. It sounded awfully close yet, there was nothing in the alley they stood in. Suddenly, a black car became visible right in front of them.

A car that went invisible? What other fancy gadgets did SHIELD have?

"Well, are you going to get in?" He asked, holding the passenger door open. There was a bit of hesitation spurring inside of Maya, but ultimately, she nodded walked her way towards the car and climbed into the passenger seat. They began to drive away. After a few minutes, Fury had pressed oddly placed red button in the middle of the console. The car had become unseen from outer eyes.

"Neat trick." She commented.

"It's been useful in the past. A guarantee that we aren't being followed." She nodded, impressed by the technology. Soon her mind began to drift.

Waves of questions surrounded her mind.

Where had Drake been this entire time?

Was he tracking her through SHIELD?

What could they have recruited him for?

But most of all, the question that seemed the most important to Maya was if he was okay? Was he okay after everything that had happened?

It had been years since she last saw her brother. It had been years since she saw any of her siblings. As time went by, she had imagined scenarios in her mind on how their first encounters would be. Would Drake be overjoyed when he saw her? Would be shocked? Could there even be anger within him because of the traumatic fate their family endured? All of this time to think of the possible outcomes, yet, she still felt ….. unprepared. _Patience_. She reminded herself that patience was the only thing she needed to understand right now. Soon enough, they will arrive at SHIELD, the place that held all of her answers


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright Hill, I've got six files here on Tomas Roccer." Natasha said as she held out the folders to Agent Maria Hill.

"Just put them there." She said, not meeting the red haired woman's eyes. Hill gave no attention to the papers in front of her. Her intent focus stared inside the interrogation room behind the glass where they stood.

Natasha did as she was told and then turned to exit the room. "Okay then, come on Steve, Clint is waiting for us."

Steve felt Natasha's elbow nudge his arm, but his eyes followed Hill's stare. They stared at a woman who sat in one of the chairs in the interrogation rooms. "Whose that?" Steve asked.

Maria pulled out a file, opening it, and revealing distant photographs of the unknown woman who sat behind the glass. "Maya Farrow. Fury found her holding a knife against Tomas Roccer's throat. Nick brought her in to recruit her, but something doesn't seem right."

Steve took a step forward to stand beside Hill. "What doesn't seem right?"

"There's a message attached to her file saying _Proceed Individual With Caution_. If Fury didn't find her she could have had a dead body on her hands."

Then Natasha entered the conversation. "Well hold on, Tomas Roccer isn't exactly an angel. He's leads one of the most threatening gangs in the area, and last time I checked, he was on SHIELD's radar. Also titled as dangerous. Wasn't looking for _him _originally?"

"What's your point Romanoff?"

"My point is, she found the bad guy way before we did. And she's the one in the interrogation room?"

Agent Hill marched towards the door. "It's protocol. We have to question everyone brought in."

"She's just a kid." Steve spoke out, but it didn't stop Hill from exiting the room with a mission on her mind. Soon enough Steve and Natasha saw her enter the room where the girl was being held. There was something guarded about this peculiar girl that kept Steve's gaze on her. Even while being held in a location like this by people as sketchy as SHIELD, this girl, Maya, didn't express any fear whatsoever. She kept strong eye contact with Agent Hill, not intimated in the slightest. She was out of place, Steve could feel it, but he couldn't describe how.

"Steve? You've got that look on your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about." His eyes remained forward.

"Yeah, sure you don't."

* * *

Maya and Fury had arrived at their destination, and it was the location of secrecy one would expect from a agency like SHIELD. The walls were a plain, uniform gray. Every noise sent echoes ghosting through the hallways. Occasionally through their stroll in the building, Maya would spot high tech tools and objects that you would definitely never see at your local hardware shop. But a part of her was still in disbelief that this was all occurring.

Fury had placed and left Maya in a small room with a silver table and two chairs placed across from each other on opposite sides of the table. She cautiously took her place in one of the chairs. A large mirror occupied a good part of the wall to Maya's right. She knew well enough there were people behind it right in that moment, observing her, testing her, questioning her presence. She wondered if they were going to interrogate her? But then she realized, what could she possibly know that they would want to know as well? Was her tracking down Roccer a point of interest?

Suddenly someone entered the room, interrupting Maya's thoughts. A tall woman with dark hair slicked back into a bun walked over to the chair on the other side of the table. Across from Maya. She carried a file full of papers, along with a pen and a notepad. As Maya guessed, they _were _going to ask questions.

The woman looked up from the file, and stared at Maya. "I'm Agent Maria Hill. I'm going to be asking you a few questions." Her thumb pressed the top of the pen, clicking it as she began to write on said notepad. "Name?"

"Maya Farrow."

"What are your powers, Ms. Farrow?"

"The ability to control the four elements. Also the power of telepathy." She responded.

Hill looked confused. "Two powers?" Maya nodded. "How is that?"

She shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not sure." It was the truth. Often, in stories, comics, or even movies one would hear about people having one ability or multiple abilities centering one subject. But reading minds and controlling the natural parts of the Earth were two different spectrums. Maya didn't understand why she possessed these two different abilities. However, Hill stared at her unconvinced of her lack of knowledge on the subject. "Are those all the questions?" Maya asked.

Agent Hill sat back and crossed her arms. "Why were you after Tomas Roccer?"

"I was looking for somebody and I heard he was the last person to see them."

"Looking for who?"

"Why do I have to answer these questions? Fury said I was considered to be recruited not arrested." Hill's cold look bore into Maya's being. She didn't understand why there was such hostility.

The door opened once again revealing a towering blonde haired man. "Hill, they need you down in the lobby." He said. His eyes darted towards Maya and she noticed the corner of his mouth twitch up into a slight smile.

"Alright." She responded. Then she leaned in closer to Maya. "We're not done here."

Maya gave her a saccharine smile. "Can't wait."

Without uttering another word, Agent Hill strutted out of the room. The man, however, decided to stay. After a few moments of eye contact between the two, he decided to take a seat in Hill's original spot

"Hi." He greeted with a warm smile.

Maya couldn't help but smile back. "Hi." He was a muscularly toned man and had the most crystalline blue eyes.

"What'cha in for?"

She leaned in and whispered. "Truth is, I don't even know."

"They can get a little rough here, especially Hill. But having an attitude like yours, you're bound to get into trouble. Which doesn't make your case better."

"Who said I was trying to make it better?" She leaned back in the chair crossing her arms. "Is this the good cop part of the session?"

"You got a name?" He questioned.

"Maya. Maya Farrow."

"Farrow." He scrunched his eyebrows forward. "Related to Drake Farrow?"

Hearing her brother's name shot a shock in her chest. It wasn't a name she was used to hearing. "Yes, you know him?"

He nodded, "He's in the hero training program." He lifted his arm and scratched the back of his neck. Right there Maya realized just how big his muscles really were. Almost abnormally large. She caught herself staring.

She shook her head to regain focus. _Don't get distracted by a pretty guy who is only a few feet away from you_. "Hero training program?"

"It's a program for new recruits who have more advantages than other humans, to train them as SHIELD agents. Fury started recruiting about a year ago. The aftermath of the attack on New York left SHIELD to realize how defenseless they really were. Fury thought it was better to be safe then sorry. It's a way to gain more _heroes_. At least those were his words."

"Oh." Was the only way she felt was appropriate to reply with.

"You don't seem interested."

"Frankly, I'm not. I'm definitely not the type of _hero_ Fury is probably looking for_. _I just came here to see my brother."

"Of course. While you're here, is there anyone we should call? Let them know you're here."

Her eyes self-consciously gazed to the floor. "There's no one. You don't need to worry about that, but thank you anyway."

Steve gave a subtle nod, a quick look of concern etched his face as he asked his next question. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-five."

His hand reached out to touch hers. "We're going to take care of you here. You don't need to run anymore. Okay?" He didn't know her, yet he showed this immense kindness that she wasn't used to. Safe wasn't exactly how she felt, but her body relaxed from his reassurance. She nodded her head as he smiled.

"Well, Agent Hill is going to come back soon and realize that I was lying and I don't want to be in this room when she does." _He was lying about the whole lobby thing? _He stood and started towards the door.

Her eyebrows pressed forward. "Why did you lie?"

Maya's voice halted his steps, he turned to face her. "I know how... intimidating it can be to be in a completely new environment. It's a protocol of theirs not to trust people. Thought I could give you one friendly face you'd see in the hall."

She looked down and smiled. Without realizing, she started to tap into his thoughts. _She has the most beautiful eyes_. Heat spread across her cheeks, there undoubtedly was a pink hue.

The mysterious good cop made his way to exit the room.

"Wait!" She called out. "What's your name?"

"Steve Rogers, ma'am." He held out his hand in a warm gesture. Taking his welcoming introduction and she shook his hand. He had a firm grip but it was also gentle. When he left the room, she couldn't stop thinking about what he said in the false privacy of his mind. _She has the most beautiful eyes_. It kept echoing in Maya's head like the hallways of the base. It did not help her blushing in the least.


	4. Chapter 4

The _background check, _Agent Hill had put Maya through went on for about three hours. With heavy eyes and strained shoulders from leaning in a metal chair, Maya exited the interrogation with one goal in her mind. Sleep. Yet, even with the feeling of exhaustion she had asked if she was able to see her brother. Apparently he was out on an assignment and would return in the morning.

After the questioning, two agents were instructed to walk Maya to the room she would be staying in. Awkwardly, she stood in between the two men in suits who refused to utter any words as they waited in the elevator for a specific floor. The doors to the elevator had opened, revealing a hallways with multiple doors with numbers decorated on the front. The men guided her to a door towards the end of the hall. Once they arrived at said door, the suited men uttered their good nights and left her standing alone. Her eyes gazed upon the card key they had given her. It was the key to enter her room. A small machine was placed under the door knob, Maya swiped the card through, receiving a green light in response. She had entered the room with a look of astonishment. It wasn't a room with a small bunk bed, toilet in the corner, and bars as walls, as she had exaggeratedly expected.

The walls were a deep purple. There was a queen size bed in the middle of the room. A few mahogany wooden drawers here and there. Two nightstands stood on both sides of the bed. A large dresser was placed against a wall opposite of the bed. She turned her head to the right, noticing a smaller room, darkness consuming it. Her finger flicked a light on, illuminating what appeared to be a bathroom. Her own personal bathroom. She turned the light off as something else caught her attention. A wide balcony. A wave of excitement spread into her chest. _Was this all real? _

She made her way over to the bed and sat on the covers. A sigh had escaped her lips as her body spread onto the soft bed sheets. Momentarily, she closed her eyes, waiting to be awaken at any point, but when her eyes opened, the room still stood, existing. If Fury hadn't found Maya, it might've been another sleepless night for her. It was how she usually spent most nights. Wandering around each night for a few hours until exhaustion took over. At times she would even fall asleep in alleys. Praying the darkness hid her from traveling dangers. But now here she was now. Laying in a bed she could claim as her own.

After a few minutes of embracing the comfort of the bed, her body sat up. Curiosity led her to open one of the nightstand drawers beside the bed. All the cabinets were empty, as she had expected. She had leaned forward towards her backpack grabbing and unzipping it. Her hand had reached inside to retrieve one item at a time. A water bottle, a pair of gloves, a small first aid kit, a map and a few articles of clothing. Her hand dug out a Pop-tart box she had taped closed. Inside, was all of the money she currently had to my name. At the age of fourteen, Maya had made an effort to save money here and there.

She gathered her possessions and placed them inside each of the cabinets, pushing the her box full of money all the way towards the back. There was only one thing left in her bag. An old photograph of the family she had lost. Everywhere she went she had carried the crumpled photo around with her. Her eyes longingly gazed at the photo. Creases lines across it, bent and ripped edges, but all in all, it was her most cherished possession. She ran a wistful finger over the picture fondly.

Her mother stood in the back, long black wavy hair cascading around her slim shoulders. Smiling with ruby red lips. Maya had remembered her always being put together. Her mother was a woman of class and beauty. Effortlessly maintaining that quintessential quality. As a child, Maya used to watch her mother place makeup on her face. Fondly remembering her amused smile at how interested her daughter was of the process. In Maya's perspective, her parents held the perfect image. Both appearing as gorgeous, elegant, and intelligent beings. In the photo, her father sat in a chair on the opposite side of her mother. Now as an adult, Maya realized her father came from a family of wealth, therefore he was able to provide their family of a life of extravagance. Including Maya, her parents had five children, all oddly unique on many levels.

There was her brother Drake. The oldest of the siblings. At the time the picture was taken, he was twelve years old. Auburn hair seemed to always manage to cover his blue eyes, however in the photo, their mother decided to slick it back with a sort of gel. It made him seem more presentable, at least as presentable as a twelve year old boy could be. As they were kids, he had always felt this need to protect his younger siblings. Standing up for them against bullies, attending every injury their parents couldn't take care of. Sometimes when Maya woke up from a nightmare, her brother would hear her crying and come in to reassure her that she was safe. The series of events that happened in their life made her wonder how her older brother felt.

Along with Drake, Maya's older sister Savannah was also the type to protect her siblings. Drake included if Maya remembered correctly. In reminiscing her sister, Maya chuckled. Her sister was incredibly bossy as a child. Always getting into arguments with anyone that went against her. But when it came to their parents, she was nothing but obedient. She craved responsibility because it gave her control. Maya fondly remembered how rebellious she was, even as a child. One person told her to something, she went off and did the other. Her sister Savannah was a great example of that.

As a child, Maya was noticeably different from Savannah. Their mother had taken them to ballet, only for Maya to drop out after the first week. Claiming the girls were _stuck up. _She preferred spending her time outdoors, making a mess of her clothes. Her mother finding a new stain of dirt or grass every time she would check on her.

Luckily, Savannah wasn't Maya's only sister. They had Robyn. Their youngest sister. She was three the time the picture was taken. Their sister Robyn was a timid, sweet, and joyful child. Afraid of the dark, hated green peas, and had a raggedy old rabbit that she named Bubby. A baby. Maya's sister was only a baby. So was their brother.

Noah, the youngest of them all, was cradled in their father's arms. Born only a few months before the photo was taken. A mental image came to Maya's head; her mother standing over Noah's crib, fondly watching over him.

_If I could go back in time, I'd-_

Immediately, Maya stopped those thoughts as soon they began. She reminded herself not to think that way. The only thing she gained was an overwhelming feeling of depression. She rubbed her eyes on her sleeves, swiping the tears away. Things might change. That's what she needed to reassure in herself. That things could change. Her family wasn't together yet, but being in the same place as Drake was definitely a start.

If only she could prepare herself for the serpentine journey she had just set herself on.


	5. Chapter 5

Opening the doors to the outside of the balcony, Maya could feel the crisp breeze grazing against her skin. The cold never usually bothered her, Maya fondly embraced it. One of her powers involved ice flowing through her veins. Eventually, she grew used to it.

Her eyes gazed at the view. There were green hills which were now midnight blue. There were trees that would seem towering if you were right next to them, but from Maya's nice spot on the balcony, they were no bigger than her hands. In between those trees were blurry gaps of darkness. The kind people would stare into for minutes and have wild assumptions of what could happen in those distrustful woods. Making up reasons to not explore it because of the unknown. Maya found herself to be different than most people. The unknown lured her in.

Beyond the mysterious woods, minuscule lights formed, surrounding multiple buildings. The crowded city of Manhattan seemed a great distance away. For a moment, her current setting was a place of solace, away from the traffic lights, away from the crime, away from the loud and toxic society.

Suddenly, a voice other than Maya's spoke up. "After being here for years, you never get used to the view." She looked over to the side to follow the voice. There stood the tall Steve Rogers, in the balcony right next to hers. A smile emerged from her face, despite her previous somberness.

"Steve, right?"

"Forgot already?"

"Well, being in numerous interrogation rooms, names become a little fuzzy."

He gave her a look of uncertainty. "That was a joke right?"

A breath of amusement escaped her lips."Yes, Rogers, it was a joke." She made her way over to the edge of the balcony, climbing on top of the ledge. She decided to sit on top of it, letting her legs dangled in the air. Steve noticeably had wide eyes. He looked at Maya then at the ground below them.

"I'm gonna guess you're not afraid of heights." He was trying to joke but there was an obvious tensity in his voice.

"Oh no, I'm absolutely terrified of heights. Can't you tell?" She teased.

"Alright, Ms. Attitude, no need for sarcasm." She chuckled at his remark. His expression grew softer from the sound of her laugh. "Where you from?" He questioned.

"New York."

"Where in New York?" It took her a moment to answer the question. _Living on the streets _didn't seem like a unforeseen answer.

"Different parts. I've been all over."

"I'm from Brooklyn."

"You know, I've never actually been to Brooklyn, now that I think about it."

Steve gazed down at his feet. "Well, there's always a guy around the corner ready to fight. For good or bad."

"Which cause did you usually fight for?"

He let out a small laugh. "The stupid one that always led to the bigger guy beating me up."

Her dark brows furrowed. "No offense, but I can't really imagine you not being the bigger guy in a fight."

He peered up but gaped towards the distance, placing his hands in his pocket. "Yeah, well, I wasn't always like this."

"You almost say that like it's a bad thing." He seemed ashamed. But why? _Wasn't always like this. _What could he possibly mean?

"I think I just find myself stuck in the past. Missing the good days. Wondering what would happen if things turned out differently."

"That's my life in a nutshell." She blurted out. He turned serious, almost expecting an answer, but probably too polite to push the issue. She took that as a sign to continue. "My siblings and I were separated when we were kids." She said slowly, hesitating to finish the sentence.

"Why were you separated?" The concern was evident in his tone. This was a man she had only met a few hours prior. Yet, when she looked at him, the only thing she wanted to do was trust him. So, evidently, she did.

"When I was about seven years old my mother decided to separate my siblings and I. It was right after she killed my father. I hadn't seen any of my family members since that horrible day. And I guess I haven't been able to cope with it because here I am, eighteen years later, and I'm still looking for answers." It all came out so monotone. The way everything happened has been constantly repeating itself in her mind. She got used to stating it as pure facts. It was her life story apparently. It made her who she was, and she wasn't necessarily proud of that.

He sighed, unable to find the words to respond with, ultimately, he felt there was only one thing that was appropriate to say. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"Is that why Fury brought you here? To find answers?"

"Not to my knowledge. If I'm being honest, I don't really know why Fury wants me here but I suspect it's either because my brother Drake asked him to find me or he wants to make me a part of whatever superhero team he's building up. If Fury knows about Drake's abilities then he might know about mine."

"Yeah...superhero teams. I'll admit they're interesting. You and Drake have special abilities then?"

"Basically everyone in my family does."

A slight smile played on his lips. "And yours are?"

She reciprocated the expression. "I can control the four elements. Water, fire, earth, wind. Anything nature related."

He leaned on the edge, his body slanted forward as his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Can you show me?" With a playful smile on her lips, she nodded. Closing her eyes, she focused on her powers, willing them to appear.

Snow.

That was the first image that came to her head. In that precise moment, she was able to feel a slight flick of coldness touch the tip of her nose. Maya's eyes opened to see snow lightly falling around her and Steve. He looked at the small snowflakes, his blue eyes sparkling in awe. As he was distracted, it gave Maya a moment to look at him. Really look at him. His hair was combed to the side, a simpler look then you'd usually see. With the night out, his hair was a deep brown, but in the light earlier, Maya remembered it as a spectacular color of blonde. It blended well with his facial features. A clean shaven face and sharp jawline. And those eyes, those sparkling grayish blue orbs. The same ones that turned to gaze towards Maya. She instantly focused on a random snowflake, watching it cascade from the air. It wandered onto Maya's hand, a single water drop forming as it kissed her skin. In the corner of her eye she saw Steve staring directly towards her. She met his soft admirable expression. He glanced back at the white snow slowly falling.

"This is amazing. You're amazing."

Her body stood still. Her powers weren't often described as _amazing_.

"I can also read minds."

"So you have two powers." She nodded. "And one of them takes away the privacy of my inner mind? That doesn't seem fair."

She playfully scoffed. "Relax Rogers, I didn't read your mind this time."

"Okay good, I'd like to feel like I have some form of security." Then his smile faded in realization. "Wait. This time?" She laughed at his delayed comprehension, and he couldn't help but smile along with her. They had stayed there in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Until Maya spoke up, breaking the silence.

"I have beautiful eyes, huh?" She said smirking.

A slight pink hue rose to his cheeks but his smile didn't alter as he stared at the ground. "Among other things, yes."

"Your first compliment and you can't even say it out loud?"

"I didn't really think it was the time and place."

She nodded. "Fair enough. What's your story then?"

"Well..." He started. "That one is a little harder to explain."

"I got nowhere to be. I'm all ears."

He sighed and looked into her eyes. He then turned away and continued. "I fought in World War II. And the only reason I'm still alive today is because they tested a super soldier serum on me. It made me stronger, faster, and capable of fighting. They presumed me dead after I crashed the plane of our top enemy, Johann Schmidt."

Suddenly his gaze became distant, his tone was aloof, and his physique tense. He continued. "I was prepared to die. While I was flying the plane, I was ready to sacrifice myself for my country. There were bombs on the ship leading towards the U.S., I had to stop them." He took a pause, then suddenly regained his calm composure. "Then the plane crashed, and everything faded to black, that's the last thing I remembered before I woke up. I was confused as to why I didn't die right then and there. It turned out the serum they gave me saved my life. I was frozen in ice for almost 70 years."

Maya tried comprehending all of the information she was just given. Suddenly, she recalled reading about this in the newspaper about a year or so ago. All at once, she knew exactly who she was talking to.

"You're Captain America?" He nodded to confirm her realization. "I guess we both really are stuck in the past. Wondering what would have happened if things had turned out differently."

"I tell myself I gotta move on. Everyone else did. I just have to adjust to everything around me, I need to do my job."

"And what's your job?"

His eyes grew serious. "To fight for what's right. To fight for freedom."

Her lips quirked into a slight sincere smile. "After all of these years, fighting in the war, fighting for SHIELD, and you're prepared to continue fighting?"

"If the world needs me, I'll be there."

"And what if you need you? Maybe the world needs superheroes but that doesn't mean you need to be the one to do the job."

"Maybe you're right, but I want to. It's my way of moving on I guess."

It was interesting how people coped with their past. Some don't speak of it, they pretend it never happened. Some become obsessed with what's happened, determined to find answers. Then there were people like Steve Rogers. He simply accepted his past. The fate he was handed and yet he still had a purpose to continue. With the tragedies of life, only time could tell what will happen, and for Steve, it did.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as Maya had fallen asleep, she wished she hadn't.

_"Daddy! Daddy!" Maya called out._

_Her small feet ran throughout the house, in the search for her father. She wanted to show him the picture she drew of him. It was colored with a defined trace over each line. Excitement waved through her she thought of his reaction. _

_Soon enough, Maya heard and followed voices coming from the kitchen. Her body bounced in the doorway, but the sight of her mother sobbing stopped all of her movements. Her mother sat at the breakfast table; her eyes red, wet and puffy. Her father came walking towards her mother to give her a cup of tea. Her hands shook as she reached for it and placed it towards her pale lips. Maya's father sat next to her mother in an attempt to comfort her, but he appeared ...cautious of his movement. _

_"The doctors are wrong, Isabel. You're just stressed, that's all," He said._

_But instead of reassuring her, it just caused her to burst into tears. "All the doctors say I need mental help. Some of them even suggested some institutions I should stay at. Am I going insane, Alec?!"_

_He embraced her. "No, honey. Everything is going to be alright." But from their daughter's view, it didn't look alright._

_Maya gave a tentative step into the kitchen. "Mommy? Daddy?" They both looked at her. Her mother suddenly got up and turned away, out of her sight. Her father walked over to his young daughter, scooping her up into his arms. He quickly walked out of the kitchen. "I made you a picture Daddy." She put the picture in front of his face._

_"That's very pretty, Maya." But he paid it no attention. The picture fell from her small grasp, slowly gliding its way to the floor._

_"Daddy. Daddy. Daddy!"_

"DAD!" Maya's body sprinted forward as she called for her father. Harsh reality caved in when she realized he wasn't there. No one was.

She felt her forehead warm and slick with sweat, tiny hairs drenched. Goosebumps ran down her skin. The time on the clock caught her attention.

6:38 A.M.

A groan escaped her mouth. Her body was still shaken up. Going back to sleep was no longer seemed like option. Her ultimate decision was to go out to the balcony. Wrapping herself in a thick blanket as she sauntered her way outside, waiting for the sun to rise as with her.

She sunk itself into an outdoor chair placed outside on the balcony. There was a small fire pit that stood a few feet away from Maya. The chills she felt before still caressed her skin. Her finger lifted towards the fire pit. A weary smile came upon her face as a slight flame appeared to set the tinder alight. A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as the warm air spread throughout her frame,

Her eyes suddenly lost focus as she gazed at the flame. Each flicker numbly caught attention. In the night prior, she exposed her abilities to Steve, but she didn't reveal the dangers behind them. Part of her was afraid to. However, she reminded herself that her fears of future actions shouldn't distract her from the present. The dream she just had, it was a vision of a past memory. They've been entering her mind more often than usual. They were memories that seemed unclear to her as a child. But it was only now that they provided her information rather than a complicated, misunderstood past. Or at least she wish it did. The dream she had ultimately ran more questions in her head.

_Mental help?_

Doctors told her mother that she needed mental help? Yet, her father said she was just stressed. Thoughts of anger entered Maya's mind.

Her mother's stress led to her father being murdered.

It led to Maya being ripped away from her family.

It led to her having no home to go to, no family to protect her. To save her.

What her mother did led to everyone she cared about to be taken away from her.

All of these dreams of her past always related to her mother somehow. Her mother was insane and now Maya knew it to be a fact. But, it didn't exactly give her any comfort whatsoever. How long had it been between that memory and the night her father died. Months? Weeks? Days? Hours?

It was a piece to the unfathomable puzzle.

The unfathomable part being that her father did truly love her mother, he treated her right, yet it came down to a terrible fate. Maybe she didn't love him back? But Maya wondered how someone could build a life with someone else for thirteen years, have five children with them, if there wasn't an ounce of love there . Why would someone murder someone they loved? What drove her away? _Was it us?_ Maya wondered. What stress was she under and why?

Maya caught herself doing it again. Overthinking. It never really resulted in anything but inner anger and further confusion. Her eyes drifted away from the small fire that protected her chilled skin. Instead, they gazed towards the balcony next to hers. Steve's balcony.

The hero stuck in the past was neighbors with the girl who was consumed by her past. It's almost poetic. The sincerity in his eyes made her heart squeeze. Kindness was rare, it needed to be valued when given, because of its infrequency. Steve Rogers was the embodiment of societal perfection. Which, in itself, was also rare. They trained him to be the strongest. They tested on him so he could be the best soldier. But, they couldn't teach him courage. They didn't give him his purpose to save lives. The motivation of keeping the world safe didn't come from a lab. It was purely who he was.

And Maya thought, who was she compared to that? A troubled, dangerous, rebellious girl who couldn't move on?

She ran a hand through the dark waves of her hair. She decided to continue forward, and begin her day, no matter what nightmare, fear, or insecurity fiddled its way into her mind. She rose from her chair and strolled back inside the room, blanket loosely held around her arms. She closing the balcony doors behind her. She began her day by decided brushing her teeth, taking a shower, and getting dressed.

Her frame stood before the mirror in the bathroom as she brushed through her auburn colored hair. Deep green eyes stared back as she scanned every feature of her face. Her full plump lips. Dark haired eyebrows, a few hairs out of line. She stared intently at the familiar features.

As the years went by, and her memory became a blur, she found herself looking more and more like her mother. In any other case, that would've been something to admire, but it only made Maya feel unsettled. She pushed away the thought. Her hands wrapped around her long wavy hair, and tied it into a high ponytail. Her fingers pulled the sides to tighten it.

Suddenly, a thumping noise resounded through the apartment. Someone was knocking on the door. Maya made her way out of the bathroom and towards the sound. She opened the door.

There, in the empty space of the hallway, stood a man. A tall young figure who was unrecognizable. Her eyes surveyed him as the man did the same to her. Finally, her gaze ended on his eyes. Vibrant ocean blue eyes. Just like...

"Drake?"

"Maya."


	7. Chapter 7

Drake was there. He was standing right there, in front of Maya. Her eyes laid upon her big brother. Seeing him for the first time after eighteen years.

His bright blue eyes softened as he stepped forward, pulling his younger sister into a protecting embrace. She naturally returned the warm affection. After so much time, it was much needed. His arms were strong as they held her tightly. "I missed you." He whispers into her hair.

"I missed you too." Maya's body sunk into the hug.

Drake spoke, his voice quiet. "Fury told me you were here, but I didn't believe him. I had to see you for myself, and he was right. You _are_ here. You're here, in my arms. Perfectly safe."

Her arms squeezed him tighter, as tight as her eyes squeezed shut, forcing tears to not escape.

This was new to Maya, this type affection, more specifically from a family member. Over time, she found herself clinging onto faded memories. Vague moments she could only wish back. Through time, people tend to forget precious things. The sound of someone's voice. The conversations between loved ones. The number of days people have lived, fading into the back of their mind. But in that moment, she was treasuring a memory as it was happening.

After long minutes of the reunited siblings embracing, they broke apart. She observed his face closely. His hair was the same length that occasionally had the misfortune of covering his electric blue eyes; she immediately it had become a more vibrant tint of auburn.

"Come in." She said, stepping away to allow Drake to walk inside. As he walked in, she shut the door behind him.

Maya imagined this moment so many times in her head, yet it hasn't prepared her to know what to say or what to do. He absorbed together as her older brother and as a complete stranger. She didn't know what his character was like now. But he's still _Drake_.

He made his way to the bed, taking a seat upon it, looking up at Maya with sincerity behind his eyes.

"How have you been, Maya?"

"I've been fine. Honestly, a lot better now." She let out a breathy laugh. Her body leaned onto one of the walls in the room. "How about you? What's happened to you over the years?"

"Grandma and Grandpa raised me. They encouraged me to focus on school which got me on the honor roll multiple times when I was in high school. It granted me a scholarship for Princeton to get a degree in Astrophysical Science."

"Well, it seems like you've definitely been busy."

He smiled genuinely. There was an impeccable similarity in his smile, it was the same one their father used to have. "Well, it didn't last long. As much as I loved Astrophysics-"

"As does everyone."

He gave her a playful glare, causing her grin to widen. "That's real cute. Anyway, going to Princeton didn't feel right, it wasn't what I wanted to do. I decided to work for the special victims unit. That's when I felt like I truly belonged but then…" He paused, looking down at his fumbling fingers.

Her face scrunched in confusion. _But then what? _

"But then," he continued, "when they sent me on a case, an incident happened on the job. I was assigned to it after a few months of being there. We went to question a suspect, once we got to their address, guy hit me from behind while my partner ran after the suspect. That's when things started to …..change. Before I knew it, the guy was underneath me while my ...claws were on his throat."

"You shape shifted, didn't you? Your powers took over."

Guilt consumed his face as he nodded. "I shape shifted into a tiger. My partner came in and called animal control, no clue that it was actually me. They shot a dart at me, to sustain me. I knocked out and they brought me to the nearest animal shelter. Was a hell of a surprise for them when they saw me lying unconscious in a cage." He forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Then SHIELD found me. I thought I was done for, that they'd confine me into a secret prison. But, to my surprise, SHIELD offered me a job."

"A job?"

"To be an agent. They have me go on special missions, sometimes. Train me to use my powers, but I prefer to do work at the compound."

"How come?"

"Less people get hurt."

Maya nodded, fully understanding the fear of causing harm to others. Understanding the regret and guilt when people cause harm others. But she was grateful Drake was able to find a group of people that accepted his powers. Even saw them to be used for good. SHIELD guaranteed him not only a job but a safe place.

"I guess SHIELD ain't too bad." She commented.

He chuckled, flashing a smile at his young sister. "Well, they brought me closer to my family. So, I'd say they're good in my book." But then, his smile disappeared and his eyes became distant. "After what happened eighteen years ago, when dad died. I wanted answers, I _needed_ answers."

"I think we all did, Drake." Maya made her way to take a sit next to Drake on the bed.

"I should've done something. Something to stop her. I'm the big brother I should've done a better job at protecting you guys."

"Drake. Don't. Don't do that. You were just a kid, we all were. If you got in her way...well, we could've had a worse outcome."

"I know, but if I could have lived it differently-"

"She would have found another way to kill him...and maybe even us."

The screams from that night were making their way back into Maya's mind. The tears. The image of the night sky contrasting the flames.

"I still remember it like it was yesterday." She stated. Drake's hand wrapped itself around her, giving it a consoling squeeze. A question arose from Maya's mind, causing her eyebrows to etch forward. She turned to him. "Did Fury help you find them? Savannah? Robyn? Noah?"

"Savannah found me actually."

"What? How? When?" _She was able to find him on her own? _Maya thought.

"It was when my incident happened at SVU, I guess she saw it on the news and thought it could've been me. At the time, she was dating this detective and asked him if he could find me. And sure enough, he did. Because, one day, I went downstairs to the lobby, on my way out to go on a mission, and there she was. Savannah was standing right there, asking the receptionist where she could find. Then she turned and saw me."

His smile returned, this time the sincerity made their way to his eyes. Hearing the story gave his sister hope. She thought that maybe, just maybe, they could all be together again, no longer haunted by what separated them in the first place. "How is she?" She asked.

"Great, actually. She's in Paris right now."

"Paris?"

"Yeah, she's a buyer for an art museum here. Travels a lot."

"Must be nice to have a job like that."

Drake's eyebrows creased. "What kind of job do you have?"

"Um…I'm actually unemployed."

"So that means I get to bother you whenever I want."

Her unexpected laugh filled the air. "Not a chance. I expect calls ahead"

"Yeah well, we'll see about that." He poked Maya's side, causing her to jolt up and yelp. He laughed at her reaction, which gave her reason to hit his arm. He rubbed it, mocking a look of surprise. "That hurt."

"Yeah, I bet it did."

Drake wrapped a strong arm around his sister's shoulders, pulling her into a side embrace. Her head naturally leaned on his shoulder. "You know I have to catch up in years of not annoying you." But then his smile faded, and his tone dropped. "I'm grateful that you're okay, Maya. Where did ..._she_ leave you?"

She peered up to look into his eyes. _He doesn't know what happened, does he? _SHIELD may have done him the favor of finding his sister, but Maya had learned that that's all they probably did. It seems as thought Director Fury didn't tell him about how Maya has been living on the streets. Told him about her own _incidents_ that her powers have caused.

"She dropped me off at Aunt Marie's." She answered. "But she died a few years later, and we didn't have any contact with other family members, so..." She sighed, "They put me into an orphanage. After I turned eighteen, they couldn't keep me there anymore. So I've been on my own since."

She looked towards Drake's face, the smile had faded, and his look of amusement changed to an expression of distress. "Maya...I had no idea."

"Drake, how could you? You couldn't even find me without the help of a secret organization. Savannah found you through a detective."

"I could've tried looking for you while I was working for SVU."

"Drake." Maya took the hands of her worrisome brother. His guilt radiated from his azure eyes. She continued. "Stop blaming yourself. I don't blame you. Savannah doesn't blame you. Nobody blames you for what happened eighteen years ago. It's all in the past. _This._" Her hands squeezed his. "_This _is what we have now. Each other. So let's enjoy that. Please?"

His soft eyes blinked away the worries. His tense body eventually relaxed. His hands gripped onto Maya's. "You're right. I'm not going to waste our moments by grieving the time we lost, because now we could make up for it. And Maya, I promise to protect you. You understand?"

She nodded as a warm smile grew upon her face and a tear escaped from one of her green eyes. Instantly, her fingers brushed against her own cheek, smearing the tear away.

Suddenly, Drake's face turned slightly grim, he didn't want to meet her eyes. Curiosity led Maya to enter his thoughts.

_I need to ask her._

"Ask me what?"

"Right. Almost forgot you could do that."

"Only when I have a reason to. And the sudden look on your face convinced me that something's up."

He let out an audible sigh. "You're looking for her. Aren't you?" She knew exactly what was coming. Standing, Maya decided to walk away from the bed crossing her arms. Her eyes avoided his as he continued. "Fury told me last night that he found you holding a knife to a guy's throat? Is that true Maya?"

"Did he tell you who that guy was?"

He stood from the bed. "It doesn't matter Maya-"

"It doesn't matter?" Her body turned towards him. "That _guy _was Tomas Roccer, the last person who saw our mother."

"He's also the leader to a highly dangerous supernatural gang. Do I need to emphasize the supernatural part? Meaning, way more dangerous and unpredictable than the ordinary group of criminals."

"So don't you think it's suspicious that she's getting involved with them? Especially after what happened years ago? Something isn't right, Drake."

"I think our mother made it pretty clear that she doesn't want us. It's also not your case to follow Maya. Let SHIELD handle it."

"Right, after all of the events happening in the world now, they're going to give attention to our little problem."

"They just might."

Maya felt herself getting more frustrated, but she reminded herself this was their first encounter. And she didn't want it to end this way. So, she decided to raise a white flag. "I just want to know why it happened." Her voice was almost inaudible.

Drake also submitted to a flag of truce. "I know, me too. I don't think you're wrong for being apprehensive. But, I don't agree with you going out and finding answers on your own."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can. I'd rather be safe than sorry though. We'll figure out what's going on. I promise."

With a bit of hesitation, she decided to let her defenses down. Her body moved towards Drake as she embraced him. "I'm happy you're okay."

He returned the hug. "Ditto"

* * *

The footsteps of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff echoed throughout the halls. His eyes gazed towards the red headed woman striding along with him. "We're meeting with Clint and Tony?"

"And Thor." Natasha answered.

"Thor? Why is he here?" He questioned.

"Guess we'll find out when we get there Cap."

He and Natasha made their way through the halls of SHIELD, on the way to a sudden meeting Fury informed them was necessary.

In the corner of Steve's eye, he noticed Natasha's smirk extend her lips.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Something."

Her smirk only widened. She allowed only a few seconds to pass before speaking up again. "How's the new girl Maya?"

"So that's what's on your mind."

"Steve, it's an innocent question."

"Not sure your intentions are so innocent."

"I'm just curious."

His body exhaled audibly. He figured he should have known this was coming. "She's fine. Nice girl."

"That's all? No particular thoughts on her?"

"She's...different. There's something that makes me want to know more about her story. She's definitely a guarded person. Yet, I can feel her opening up to me. Trusting me. It feels natural talking to her."

"I see you're making her feel welcomed."

"Well, Agent Hill went in on her like she was a wanted criminal. I just want Maya to know she's in a safe place. When I woke up a few years ago, in an unfamiliar place, I didn't exactly feel comfort. My whole world was turned upside down. And she's been through rough times. She needs at least one friendly face."

"Well, I can trust you to be especially friendly."

His eyebrows raised at her comment, giving her a side look. "You wanna run that by me again Romanoff."

She was completely grinning at this point. "Relax, Steve. We can talk about your new crush when we get out of the meeting."

They eventually reached the door to the room Fury usually held private meetings in. Naturally, Steve held the door open for Nat, still giving her a look of displeasure, contradicting her look of amusement. "Stop trying to set me up with every woman you see, Natasha."

She turned her head, whipping her red her to the side as she flashed him a mischievous smile. "No promises."


	8. Chapter 8

"Drake, slow down! How do you even know where you're going in this place?" Maya's feet attempted to match her brother's natural quick pace.

"You get used to it, now keep up small fry." She let out a dramatic groan as she sped up to where he was. Thankfully, Drake took her effort filled strides into consideration and slowed down a bit.

"Where are we going anyway?" She asked when she caught up to him.

"Just to my office. It's around the corner."

"You're this big secret agent and you're showing me where you do your boring nine to five paperwork?"

"Well, I was going to show you where we keep our awesome weapons but you're not cool enough for that."

"That was very clever, I truly feel insulted." She commented with sharp sarcasm.

"I'm not even looking at you and I felt the eye roll." She chuckled at his corny humor. "You meet anyone here yet?" He asked.

A smile played on her lips as she remembered her late night conversation with Steve. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, I hope you can make some friends here."

Steve's sincere smile flashed through her mind. "I hope so too." They made their way to the end of what felt like an ongoing hallway. Before Maya could turn to another hallway, Drake immediately grabbed her and pulled her back. "What?!"

"Shh!" He gently pushed her behind him as his head slightly peered around the corner of the wall. "Agent Hill is there. She works here. She's basically Fury's right hand woman."

"Oh I've met her." She whispered under her breath, recalling the welcoming interrogation she received when she first arrived to SHIELD. "And why are we hiding from her?"

"She's standing right outside my office, which means she's here to tell me that Fury wants to see me."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yeah, cause that means I have to actually do my job." She laughed quietly under her breath. "Wait." He whispered. They stood there, aware of their every movement. Even the slightest breath.

"She's coming this way!" He frantically whispered.

Suddenly, Drake grabbed her hand and started running towards the direction they came from. Maya couldn't help but giggle as he ran in front of her, pulling her to his trail. The path they took to his office was repeated now but backwards, and in a rush. Finally, they turned to a hallway with an elevator at the end of it. Maya felt Drake's momentum quicken as he tugged her closer. The two practically jumped in front of the elevator, which fortunately opened as soon as Drake hit the button on the side. They hopped into the elevator, and watched the metal doors close in front of them. Drake quickly pressed one of the buttons on the side, causing the elevator to start moving.

Drake bent his body forward, placing his hands on his knees, while Maya leaned her body against the cool metal wall behind them. The sounds of their heavy breaths filled the small compartment. They glanced at one another. Then suddenly burst into laughter.

"You must really not want to work." She commented, struggling to maintain her breath to a less audible sound.

"It's not that." He straightened his back, joining her by leaning against the wall as well.

"Then what is it?"

"Every time Fury wants to see me, it's because I've made a mistake in paperwork, or he doesn't understand my reports on events. As the Director of SHIELD, he wants to see and know everything to the point where he wants to prepare for the next big threat before it even happens. Which means that even if I'm just the messenger, he'll speak to me like I'm the suspect in question. And today, I'm trying to avoid that."

"He sounds a bit paranoid."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, I still want to give you a tour. Maybe grab lunch. So, if we're lucky, we can avoid Fury."

The elevator stopped moving as it reached the floor number Drake had pressed. The doors opened to reveal the paranoid person of conversation himself.

"Agent Farrow." Director Fury said. Drake instantly straightened his posture, noticeably pulling his shoulders back. "I was on my way to your office, but since I have you here, perhaps you could save me the trip and come follow me." Fury stepped to the side, letting Drake and Maya step out of the elevator. The metal doors closed behind them.

Drake placed his hand around her shoulder. "Actually, sir, I was just on my way out with my sister, Maya."

Fury glanced his eye over to Maya. "I'm sure can wait patiently outside my office." He turned and marched forward, hands curled behind his back. Drake immediately followed suit, and trailed behind him. He turned to face Maya, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

After turning a few corners in these indistinguishable hallways, they planted their feet in front of a smooth dark wooden door. A few tall windows filled the rest of the walls next to it, presenting a large room inside. There were couches and lounge chairs. Multiple plants were on standby. As they all entered through the door, Maya had noticed a reception desk with a man sitting behind it. He wore a navy blue jumpsuit with a patch of an eagle sewn onto the sleeve of his arm. A common uniform she kept seeing around SHIELD.

"Ms. Farrow," Fury called out, "Make yourself comfortable while I discuss important matters with your brother."

Maya's glance landed on a black leather lounge chair. Before she could sit, Drake lightly grabbed her arm. "It shouldn't take too long. Promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Agent Farrow, this might take some time." Director Fury said as he stepped into one of the many doors in this office.

Drake leaned in and whispered. "Yeah we'll see about that." She chuckled. And with that, he followed Fury's trail.

Maya exhaled as she plopped herself into a seat. This wasn't exactly how she wanted her day to go. Contentment coursed through her the second Drake embraced her after all this time. Being able to see her brother's face or hear his voice seemed too good to be true. And the idea of spending time with him for a full day? Time that was taken away from them? It caused excitement to fill her chest. But, alas, there she was, sitting and waiting.

Suddenly, another door opened. A woman with strikingly vibrant red hair stepped out, her hair was curled above her shoulders. She was followed by a tall figure with familiar stunning blue eyes. Said blue eyes immediately met Maya's green ones.

"Maya?"

"Steve." She promptly stood, biting her lip to keep it from smiling idiotically.

"Fury called _you_ in?" He asked.

"Not exactly." She took a few steps towards him. "He's in a meeting with my brother right now. I'm just waiting here for him. We were supposed to spend the day together."

"But here you are?"

Maya shrugged. "But here I am." Maybe it was her imagination, but Steve almost seemed pleased to see her. His eyes intently scanned her face, It didn't cause her to shy away, but curiosity did enter Maya's mind. Curiosity on what he could possibly be thinking.

Before Maya could use her mind reading on him, the red-headed woman beside him spoke up. "I'm Natasha." She extended her hand out to Maya, in which, she naturally shook as courtesy.

The women exchanged friendly smiles. "Maya."

Natasha glanced over at Steve and curled a slight smile. "So I've heard." _Why is she looking at Steve like that?_ Natasha turned back to Maya. "You mentioned your brother was in a meeting with Director Fury?"

"He's an agent here at SHIELD. His name is Drake Farrow."

Natasha's grayish olive eyes gazed away for a second. "Farrow. He's been on a few missions with us. He's a great guy, really nice."

Maya looked towards Steve. "Yeah, well it seems like SHIELD is good at picking up great people." Steve's eyes locked onto hers, before he stared down at his feet, attempting to hide the smile growing on his face.

Natasha also noticed Steve's shy smile. "So Maya, what big plans did you and Drake have for the day?"

"I'm not exactly sure in all honesty, he was pretty much leading the way. But at this point, it's hard to tell when he'll be done in there. So I guess those plans are out the window."

"Not necessarily." Natasha said, both Steve and Maya exchanged bemused looks. "Steve, maybe _you_ could show her around."

Maya spoke up immediately. "He really doesn't have to do that. I can just wait for my brother. Really, it's not a big deal-"

"I'd love to." Steve said suddenly. Now the women shared a puzzled gaze when they looked at him. Maya's lasted longer while Natasha's expression turned to one of amusement.

"Sounds great." She said. "I would join you but I have some things I need to take care of."

"Yeah I bet you do." Steve said to Natasha, then he turned towards Maya. "I would love to give you a tour of the compound. If that's okay."

Steve and Maya took a few seconds to gaze at each other, her smile growing slowly as she nodded. "I'd appreciate it. Thank you."

Instantaneously, Natasha lightly grabbed Maya's arm and Steve's as well and she led them towards the exit door, out of the office. "Well you guys should get going. It's a big compound, lots to see."

Maya turned back suddenly. "I should tell my brother where I'm going."

In one swift movement, Natasha immediately turned her back. "Don't worry about it. I'll tell him you're in good hands and to give you a call later. Now, the two of you, go have fun. That's an order."

She closed the door behind them. Through the window of the office, they saw Natasha make her way to the chair she was sitting in originally, making herself comfortable. She plucked a magazine from the side of the lounge chair and leaned back.

Maya and Steve exchanged looks and instantly eased into breathy laughs. "Well that was-"

"Forced." He said.

"I was going to say weird, but we can use your word."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I'm kidding, Steve." He seemed relieved after she reassured him that she wasn't offended. He shook his head as he looked in Natasha's direction. Then his eyes gleamed over to Maya. "Let's go for a walk." He extended his broad arm out to her. There was hesitation at first, from Maya's end. One would usually see men offer such courtesy to elegant, well kept women. In Maya's view, she felt anything but elegant. However, despite those feelings of insecurity, she graciously wrapped her hand softly around Steve's bicep. Soft fingers gently brushing against the deep blue fabric of his thin sweater.

"Where to, Captain?" They had begun to saunter their way down the hall.

"I've got a few places in mind."

"Then lead the way."

There was a slowness in their steps and a natural comfort as they stood beside each other. Maya felt an instinctive safety as she stood next to the super soldier. A man built to make people feel protected. _But that was just it_, she thought. He wasn't a thing that needed to be _built. _He was a genuine human being. A genuine human being who was currently escorting Maya down a hallway in a gentlemanly manner.

"By the way," He started, "what I said about the whole Natasha thing being forced. I meant that she tends to be persistent. She doesn't think I get out enough. She thinks I'm too self-involved with my job that I don't live life enough."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me Steve." She said softly.

"Well, ma'am, I have to disagree with you. I wouldn't want you to think any of our encounters are forced."

Her eyes gazed up at him, catching him already looking at her. This time she didn't bite back a smile. "Likewise." He exchanged a corner smile, it wasn't much but it sure shot a pang in her chest. They both looked forward. "I probably would've done the same thing as Natasha."

"Oh really?"

"Of course. If I want to make sure someone I care about puts themselves first once in a while, then I'd definitely be aggressive about it."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Another thing to keep in mind, please don't call me ma'am."

His curled smile widened and broke into a charming laugh. "Sorry, force of habit. I'll try to restrain myself."

"Please do." His laugh grew from her teasing him.

They had reached the same elevator her and Drake ran into, attempting to escape from his responsibilities. A failed attempt, at that. But, she wasn't entirely disappointed with the end result. She was reminded of that as her and Steve stood closer to one another in the elevator.

"Sorry Fury pulled Drake away. You deserve to make up for lost time."

"I'm sure we'll find a time to get together."

From Maya's peripheral, she could sense Steve observing her. His lips parted, she expected to hear his voice, but after a few seconds, he just looked forward, without a word spoken. This time she turned to see him. "You know any places to eat here? All I was given was a cold sandwich during my questioning last night."

His face turned to look down at hers. There it was again, that curled smile of his. "I might know a place."

The metal doors of the elevator opened in front of them. Steve, with her hand gently placed on his arm, led Maya out. He placed his hand over hers, which in result sent a quick electric shock through her skin.

As the two stepped out of the elevator, a man began to approach them. He had a smile on his face and a few threatening men dressed in suits behind him. Steve wasn't too pleased to see the man. He slowed his steps as the bearded man approached. He almost seemed recognizable to Maya.

"Tony," Steve started. "You missed the meeting." They halted to a complete stop, as did _Tony_ and his men.

"Can't tell you how many times I've heard that before."

"It was an urgent meeting."

"If it were really that urgent he'd come see me himself. Fury can just give me a summary of it."

"You know it's not always that easy."

"Well Cap, if you try hard enough, it just can be." The resonance in his voice seemed serious yet he also had a light-hearted tone. Maya observed the well dressed man in front of her, trying to depict why he seemed so familiar. A pair of black sunglasses with dark red lens rested on the bridge of his nose. His dark-haired beard was closely cut to his face. Shaped uniquely under his thin lips. His grey suit and red dress shirt coordinated with the glasses he wore. He looked older than Steve, but yet, he had more of a lively spirit.

"And whose this Rogers?" The man asked.

"This is-"

"Maya Farrow." She pulled her hand away from Steve's arm and extended it towards the man. "My brother works for SHIELD. Captain Rogers was just showing me around."

He tilted his lens forward, then proceeded to shake the young woman's hand. "Tony Stark. Cap I'd ask you to join me on my way to Fury but I see you're busy being a Good Samaritan. Shocking." He proceeded forward and made his way around them, entering the elevator they had just exited from, the suited men followed. Maya assumed they were his bodyguards.

Steve turned his body and placed his hand on the elevator door before it had a chance to close completely. He lowered his voice to speak directly to Tony. Even in his hushed tone, Maya was still able to make out the words he was saying. "Tony, what Fury told us … what he's going to tell you… Just try to meet me after, before you leave. Something is going on and I have a strange feeling about it."

There was a few seconds of silence between the men before Tony let out an audible sigh. "Got it Cap. Try not to be too busy when I call you." Even through his sunglasses, Maya noticed his eyes dart straight towards her. A heat involuntarily rose to her cheeks. The elevator doors closed as soon as Steve removed his hand. He returned back next to her. His hand softly press against her lower back as he guided her forward.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

The sudden stern face he held before was gone in an instant. The calm gaze in his eyes returned when they met with hers.

"I'm fine. Let's get you something to eat."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: There has been a change. I've written this chapter, and all chapters before it in third-person. The story has remained the same. As a writer I felt third person was right for the story.

Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed the story! Thank you for favoring and commenting this story! I enjoy reading your comments.

If any Redamancy readers are interested in reading Loki fanfiction, you should read my second story posted here: s/13320439/1/Serendipity

* * *

The branches under their feet crunched with every step taken. Steve gallantly guided Maya into the sunlit woods. He held her hand as they sauntered between tall, evergreen coated trees. Maya's eyes remained fixated on the ground, attempting to keep a strong balance after every step she took. Occasionally, without Maya's notice, Steve would look back, ready to catch her if need be, but in his smile he realized she was doing just fine.

"You sure you know where we're going?" She questioned, a bit anxious.

"Trust me, I've gone down here hundreds of times." Steve said, trying to reassure her.

"I'm just saying, this is usually how a lot of horror movies start. Two people roaming through the woods, all happy and cheerful. Then suddenly something mysteriously tragic happens to one of them. And then BAM...dead body."

"You don't sound like someone who trusts me."

"Of course I trust you Steve... I just don't trust horror movies."

"We're not in a horror movie, Maya."

"That's what they want you to think."

He chuckled. "Well, I'll protect you from any killers or monsters. Okay?"

"I guess."

"I appreciate the faith." A giggle escaped from her chest.

Suddenly, he stopped in his trail which, unfortunately, caused Maya's foot to trip forward over a rock that was well hidden under rustled leaves. Luckily, Steve's arms caught her mid fall. Her hands pressed onto his chest as she attempted to regain her balance. "You alright?" He asked.

Her deep green eyes peered up. The palms of her hands stood perfectly still as they laid on his chest. She was able to feel his heart beat through his azure colored thin sweater. Realizing that she had been staring, she nodded quickly and answered his question. "Yeah. Thanks." She responded, noticeably and questioningly out of breath.

He visibly relaxed after hearing her answer. "Okay, good. Well, it's down this way." They both leaned forward, gaping below them to see a steep path covered with large rocks of multiple sizes. "I'm going to climb down first," He continued. "Then I'm going to pull you down. Okay?"

Again, she nodded, Steve's slight smile reassured her. He released her from his hold. With ease, he was able to descend effortlessly but carefully down the steep hill where they stood. Jumping from rock to rock. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he held his arm up towards Maya. Cautiously, she crouched down, balancing on the balls of her feet. Her hand instinctively placed itself on Steve's shoulder as he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other arm under her knees. Easily, he lifted Maya up with a strong grip. She extended her arm. Suddenly, she felt pain shoot through her shoulder. The sound of her wince stopped Steve in his place. "What happened?" He asked, worry evident in his voice as he searched her eyes.

"Nothing." She struggled to hide her pain.

"Something."

"I just… I hurt my shoulder last night, so I guess it's still sore. Really isn't a big deal."

But she could see in his expression of concern that he wasn't convinced.

"I'll carry you from this point on" He stated.

"You don't need to do that. I'm fine. Really."

"It's no problem at all." He continued on down the path, against Maya's wishes, but she decided to let it go, reminding herself this was an act of kindness on his part. Her arms hugged around his neck. A warm, fresh, spicy scent filled her nose. His aroma sending chills over her arms.

"You should get that shoulder checked out when we get back." His boots flatten the leaves below them as he walked.

"I think it'll be fine. It only hurt cause I stretched my arm too far."

"Still, you should make sure it's nothing serious. I can take you after if you want."

"Is it in your DNA to come to a girl's rescue, Rogers?"

His lips tightened into a smile that he attempted to hide. "More or less."

"I see Captain America never rests. What any other girl would do for a moment like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, come on Steve, in that cafe we went to, every woman was drooling the second you walked in."

"I um… didn't notice it."

"I did, along with some death glares, but those were graciously for me."

"I think you might be exaggerating."

"And I just think you're oblivious."

"Don't get cocky." He teased. Her laugh lightly echoed in the silent air.

Suddenly, as Steve stopped, both their attentions shifted upon something else. The astonishing view before them. As soon as they got to stable ground, Steve lightly placed Maya back to her feet. Carefully being aware of her shoulder that was, in her words, just_ fine. _"This is it." He said.

Nature was at its pure beauty. Spring flowers radiated different tones and shades. Citrus orange anemones, radiant roses of passion, chocolate sunflowers. Maya was completely in awe as her eyes gracefully admired the series of flowers blooming from multiple bushes and trees.

Steve continued to proceed forward, Maya following behind. They made their way towards a stone bridge. The air filled with the relaxing sound of streaming water meeting with pebbles and boulders under said bridge. Blanketed grass surrounding them. Illuminating yellow hues in each little strand as they reached up towards the sun. Different shades of flowers rose beautifully and independently. The secluded area brought a sense of tranquility.

They sat atop the stone bridge, allowing their legs to dangle off the edge. "This place is peaceful." She mentioned. A blissful sigh escaped her full lips. Maya's focus was enveloped in the scene before them, gazing in awe. Yet, Steve's eyes remained on her. There was something… enticing about her, he thought. He saw her long dark lashes occasionally blinking over deep green eyes. A few strands of hair curling around her forehead and ear, too short to be held within her ponytail of long, umber brown waves. Sensing his stare Maya turned, seeing his blue orbs staring right back into her green ones. But he didn't shy away. "Do you come here a lot?" She asked.

He shrugged his broad shoulders lightly. "When I can. Sometimes I'll come here the day after a mission. Anytime I need to relax." He leaned forward as he stared down. "Usually, I feel like I can adjust myself to the world today, but sometimes, it'll move at such a fast pace, it becomes overwhelming to catch up. Coming here, it brings my nerves down. Just for a moment, it feels like the world is completely still."

She took another look around the admirable view. "I can see that." Seeing someone as calm as Steve appeared it was hard for Maya to imagine him having nerves that would need to be _brought down_. "I don't blame you for wanting the world to stop momentarily." She continued. "Most people want that. And at SHIELD, it could feel a bit… intimidating."

"Among many things. But they have done a lot of good for the world. When they can, they provide a lot of help for people."

"Like reuniting my brother and I." She stated. "And I'm grateful for that. Don't get me wrong. It just feels…" The words failed to process in her mind. Nothing compared to seeing Drake in her room this morning. It was a happiness her body didn't know how to contain. But yet, it all seemed…

"Too good to be true." He said, taking the words right out of her mouth. Their eyes locked.

"Yeah." She sighed slowly. "It feels exactly like that."

"Well, Your hesitation towards all of this is understandable. You've been on your own this entire time. I've been on my own most of my life so I get it. When people come into your life, and they become significant, you don't let yourself hope they'll stay because they can leave at any point with or without warning. Saying it out loud sounds harsher than it seems, but it's how life works, and that's no one's fault." Her eyes stared down at her fumbling fingers, pulling her sleeves up past her wrists.

Steve continued. "But there is one lesson that I have learned."

She gazed up. "And what's that?"

His eyes bore into hers. "Appreciate who you have while you have them. Drake is here in your life now. It's a blessing to have someone you love come back to you. Enjoy it Maya." His eyes shifted away. "You never know when the moment will end."

His expression became distant as he stared towards the flowing stream of water. Maya's heart squeezed from his look of disdain. She spoke up. "You speak from experience, don't you?" His face lightly flinched from the question, expressing his vulnerability on his features for a slight moment. "You're so...admirable."

His dirty blond eyebrows furrowed forward, not expecting to hear those words from her soft voice. She continued. "Your whole world was flipped upside down, yet you hold yourself with such a beautiful strength and radiating positivism. It's… admirable. Inspirational."

He took her words in as his eyes searched through hers. There was something in the look she gave him. He had lied before, he _did_ notice the gawks and gazes when they entered the coffee shop. But for Steve, the staring blended into this blur of the life of _Captain America_. His enhancements through science brought him to where he was in today's world. He had advantages. Everyone could recite the story of Steve Rogers, America's Superhero. But his chest sinks for those fellow soldiers who fought for their country and risked their lives, having far less than Steve did, yet each man was worth an entire battalion. Where are their recognition?

"God, this place is beautiful." Maya's voice brought Steve out of his inner thoughts. Going back to his original thought, he smiled, realizing that Maya didn't look at him like other people had. Civilians held him on a pedestal. SHIELD saw him as a helpful resource. But when Maya looked at him, he felt like… a human.

"It is beautiful." He repeated keeping his gaze on her.

While sitting in peace, Maya noticed a small crack inside one of the stone bricks between her and Steve. There, in the break of stone, lay a forlorn flower, shriveled into a small stem touched with a sickly brown color. Seeing fallen plants like this brought a light heartache to Maya, but soon it gave her inspiration.

She raised her arm and pointed her fingers towards the drooping plant. A familiar tingle started to caress the inside of her skin. After a few seconds, the almost dreary herb carefully and magically rose back to its feet. The spine of the flower increased as it grew into a bright golden sunflower. The yellow petals filled with it's beautiful vibrant color. She smiled softly, admiring the natural beauty of the revived flower. Her eyes peered up to catch Steve staring intently with an expression of shock. For a second, she felt insecure for carelessly revealing more of her powers. But then, his lips stretched into a soft smile.

Suddenly, his eyes were searching around the area they sat, Maya couldn't understand why until his fingers brushed over another dying flower. He carefully wrapped his fingers over Maya's and brought her hand on top of the plant. Her fingers brushed over it. The tingling sensation returned brushing deeply into her skin. The spine of the flower rose proudly into an ivory daisy. Steve's look of awe clenched her chest, forming a broader smile on her face. In that moment, she couldn't remember the last time someone reacted to her powers with such wonderment in their eyes.

"That's incredible." He muttered. His eyes gazed up to hers. "How does that feel when you do that?"

She found his genuine curiosity sweet. Her hand found his, bringing his arm forward. And with a gentle touch, her fingertips softly and slowly caressed his arm. Her voice was brought down to a whisper. "It feels like this."

"Incredible." He repeated. "How else do you use your powers?"

"Well, I use my powers of nature more often. Any time I see a flower in a window that has been sadly neglected, I bring it back to life. If I hurt myself or have a headache, I use my powers to make my hand cold and press it against wherever it hurts. On a regular basis I just use my powers practically. It's not all that impressive."

"I guess it's true what they say then."

The dark eyebrows on her face knitted together. "And what's that?"

"That beauty is in the eye of the beholder" Once again their eyes locked and it was there in that instant when she realized subconsciously she was still brushing his arm When she pulled her hand away, Steve took it back. "Show me more." He requested.

Heat rose to her face. What was this man doing to her? She's never felt this intense combination of nerves and excitement altogether before. And so quickly. How could she be enlivened by every moment they spent together, yet also feel anxious that she would ruin it somehow? Almost as if it were too delicate to handle any feeling of reality.

_He's just being nice._ Her non-verbal comment attacked any hope she had at this being anything more, but she shook it away, reminding herself not to overthink, like she usually does.

With a change of movement her body turned to face him, her legs crossing under her. She took Steve's hand, opened his palm and fingers flatly, and placed it at eye level in between them. Holding his hand up with her left hand, she used her right to conjure up her power. Her fingers trickled above his palm.

Slowly but miraculously, a brilliant red rose sprouted from Steve's palm. The soft petals grew leisurely from each other. Steve's bewilderment returned instantly becoming Maya's favorite thing about the experience they were sharing.

Unexpectedly, Steve winced and jumped, causing Maya to flinch as well. "Are you okay?" She asked worried.

"Yeah, it just...stung me?"

"What?" Immediately, she took the rose from his hand, revealing sharp thorns under it, dripping with Steve's blood. Her eyes widened when she also noticed the multiple cuts on his palm. "Your hand." She whispered. He followed her gaze. "Steve, you're bleeding! I'm so sorry. Sometimes I lose control, but I've never had _that_ happen before. I'm so incredibly sorry-"

"Maya, it's okay. _I'm _okay." Her chest began to rise and fall quickly, noticeably. "Maya?"

Steve sat right next to her but his voice became a distant muffled sound in Maya's head. Memories flooded into her mind faster than she could handle. Her entire body felt heated. The screams, the pain, the destruction she caused. The_ fire_ she caused. It was all rushing back to her, a reminder that not only did she not have control of her powers, but most times, she was afraid of them herself.

"Maya?" Steve placed his hand on her bare arm, only to shout from a mysterious pain.

Immediately, the visions in her head stopped and all she saw was Steve clutching his hand, which she recognized was freshly burned.

_I conjured fire without realizing it?_

"Steve." Clutching both of his hands in front of her, water started to blur her vision. His left hand was smeared with his blood from the thorns of the rose _she _created. His right hand blisteringly red from a fresh burn caused by _her_ fiery skin. Releasing his hands, she stared at her own in horror. They trembled out of her control.

Her body hastily jumped down from the bridge, practically almost falling. Steve stepped off from the bridge, following Maya's actions. He reached his arm out to bring her back.

"Maya, I'm fine. I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt me."

"But I _did _hurt you, that's what _I_ did. You're bleeding and burned because of me." She seemed to have been saying it more to herself rather than him. Everything began to spin for her. Her feet began to take steps back.

"I heal quickly trust me. I promise you, I don't even feel it." He reassured. "Just relax, okay?"

"I have to go."

"Maya."

"I'm sorry, Steve."

"Maya, please." He called out for her as the distance between them grew.

"Steve, I have to go."

"But-"

"Please don't follow me."

"Maya!" But she had already ran off. Steve's footsteps pursued towards the direction she left, until he heard a familiar ringing coming from his pocket. Sighing in frustration, he reached into his pocket to take his phone, not even feeling the slight burn from his hand. He pressed answer. "Tony."

Just as he thought things couldn't get worse, Tony's phone call proved him wrong. He told him exactly what he hoped that wasn't true.

"Dammit" Steve cursed under his breath. "I'm on my way now."

Steve began jogging towards the direction of the SHIELD compound. He dialed another number as he moved. With a few rings, he finally heard the voice of a familiar female.

"Natasha? I need a favor."

story/11961167/Serendipity


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